Do you have a daily ritual involving the use of affirmations? Reciting, writing, or practicing the use of affirmations is a great way to start a mindfulness practice. But did you know it can also help us build more positive beliefs about ourselves? Instead of engaging in negative self-talk, using affirmations as a way to change our mindset can rewire our brains to think more positively and engage in positive self-talk.
What are affirmations?
Affirmations are short, positive phrases we can use to encourage ourselves when challenging thoughts come up. They are typically one sentence long and highlight our strengths and abilities. We can apply them to any area of our lives. They are often repeated frequently in order to remind ourselves of our positive traits. Some examples of affirmations include: “I am kind to myself and others” and “I am becoming more confident each day.”
How do affirmations help us build beliefs?
Affirmations can help us build new beliefs by rewriting the narratives we hold onto through creative written or spoken word. The use of affirmations help us set intentions and create positive thoughts about ourselves and the world around us. Creating a ritualistic affirmative practice also helps tune our attention to feeling the way we are affirming. And, as a byproduct, we notice the evidence of changed feelings about ourselves and our abilities.
What kind of beliefs can I build?
You can build any kind of belief you want! Developing a list of affirmations through research is an effective way to get started. But ideally, the affirmations that you choose reflect the way that you would like to feel about yourself. Choosing mantras about feeling more confident would help you to build a belief that you are a confident individual, for example. Choosing how you would like to feel and what you would like to believe are the first steps to creating a belief system that serves you.
An affirmative practice
There are many ways that we can incorporate affirmations into our daily routines, including:
- Repeating them to ourselves when challenging thoughts arise.
- Scheduling time to repeat our them as a ritual, such as before we go to bed or when we wake up in the morning.
- Writing them somewhere that we’ll see them often, such as on a bathroom mirror or on your desk at work.
- Journaling about our them–writing them down can help us solidify these thoughts in our minds.
About Samantha Nolan, MA, LPC, ATR- Barnum Counseling
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